Question for Current and Ex Elders

Iamallcool

Have you ever reinstate somebody even if they are not that repentant?

Repentance is hard to recognize. I used to ask certain questions about praying, reading bible, state of mind etc., and if that person attended all the meetings you had little other option, unless it was wife/husband swapping, then it needed a long time.

DesirousOfChange

What Fulano said.

If they were attending meetings, "highlighting" their WT with multi-colored markers (so the bro's walking the microphones could see), singing, and following along in the Bible, then you assumed repentance.

Either that or the Holy Spirit would sent a message to you in your sleep to reveal their repentance.

Still, more recently there is talk of it needed to be a year before reinstatement (+/-). They are wanting to try to be sure that a person isn't just faking it to sneak back in and the just disappear.

Solzhenitsyn

My old standby was to ask, "if you had it to do all over again, what would you do differently." Their answer usually sealed the deal one way or the other for me. As a young elder though I was more into the dog and pony show combined with if i liked them or not to produce the decision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYNUOkqzcVA

road to nowhere

That year bs. Definitely biblical🙄. Look at the prime bible example they use; pretty bad conduct by any standards but it was resolved in less than a year

smiddy3

I wonder if ever they ever considered the parable of the prodigal son in their decision making process?

In my observation they never did .

BluesBrother

What is “not that repentant”?

it is not displays of tears and chest beating, rather the changes they have made in their lives that determine it.

In reality , the committees I was on were quite keen to reinstate after a decent period of time had past, if they had stopped doing the ‘sin’ , attended meetings and said the right things. NB. I only encountered the run of the mill smoking, fornication and adultery cases.

truth_b_known

I went to the elders once because I felt guilty over a sin I committed. I was an exemplary brother, had every privilege they could give me, had no disciplinary record, and it was impossible for me to commit that sin again. Verdict - We believe you are truly repentant. However, you still must be punished. You lose all privileges until further notice.

Confessed sin? Check

Repentant? Check

Forgiven by Jehovah? Check

Still need a organizational punishment? According to 3 elders who had less time in the organization than myself - yes.

At that point I pretty much knew that Judicial Committees being "Spirit guided" was all a lie.

ToesUp

I actually think some of the Elders "get off" punishing others. I had a Elder come after us, during our fade. He was relentless. Was gonna get us DF'd if it was the last thing he ever did.

eyeuse2badub

Only god knows if someone is repentant---right. So elders get to play god. lol

I always hated being on a "judicial committee". I never felt any sort of divine guidance even though that's what we claimed was helping us to "judge" a matter. I know now as do others that it was all bullsh*t!

just saying!